• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.740-751
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• 1994

Sister chromatid exchanges(SCE) in peripheral lymphocytes is recently used as a biomarker for increased cytogenetic damage in smokers. The purpose of the investigation was to determine if there were any relationships between dietary factors and their DNA damage as measured by SCE test in a group of 62 male cigarette smokers and 36 non-smokers. As expected, smokers as compared with non-smokers had high SCE levels (10.59$\pm$0.21 versus 9.23$\pm$0.17 SCE/lymphocytes ; p<0.05). No significant relationships were observed between SCEs and age in smokers and non-smokers. In smokers, SCEs were negatively correlated with egg frequency score(r=-0.336) and total food frequency scores(r=-0.283). In non-smokers, SCEs were positively correlated with white vegetable frequency score(r=0.333) and instant food frequency score(r=0.382). There was a positive association between SCEs and the history of coffee intake of smokers(r=0.318). SCE frequency was not influenced by any other dietary factors considered ; dietary diversity and quality scores, alcohol consumption, use of processed foods and intake of burned food. No significant relationships were found between SCEs and serum cholesterol or other hematological parameters of the subjects. These results indicate that increased egg frequency score, total food frequency score which reflects dietary quality, and decreased coffee intake may reduce cancer risk by preventing smoking-induced DNA damage as reflected by sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.205-219
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• 1994

Cigarette butts from 5 smokers were gathered and then, placed in room temperature for 1, 3, 5, 7, 15 days. The possible use of the cigarette butts for individual identification was evaluated in sex determination, amplification of D1S80 locus, polymorphisms of HLA-DQA1 gene from the extracted DNA. 1. DNA extraction was possible in cigarette butts weree left in room temperature for 15days, so it can be applicatable to individual identification by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). 2. Amplification of X-Y homologous amelogenin gene by PCR made it possible to identify the sex in saliva stains (cigarette butts). 3. Amplification of D1S80 locus can be acquired from adding the boving serum albumin and hot start PCR procedures from forensic samples such as saliva stains (cigarette butts), so the AMP-FLPs examining is possible. 4. Genotype could be determined simply and rapidly using Amplitype$TM$ HLA-DQ$\alpha$ forensic kit in examining the HLA-DQA1 gene. From the investigation, DNA extraction, sex determination, amplification of D1S80 locus, polymorphisms of HLA-DQA1 gene was successfully done even though the cigarette butts were left for 15 days at room temperature. Therefore cigarette butts are highly reliable and applicatable as molecular biologic samples for individual identification.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2017

Background: Telbivudine is a nucleoside analogue used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, but it often develops mitochondrial toxicity leading to symptomatic myopathy. In this study, three patients with telbivudine induced myopathy were enrolled in order to investigate the nature and pathogenesis of mitochondrial toxicity caused by long-term use of telbivudine. Methods: Clinical features, laboratory findings, muscle pathology, and quantitation of mitochondrial DNA were studied in three patients. Results: Patients presented with progressive muscle weakness with high serum creatine kinase levels. Light microscopic findings of muscle pathology showed ragged red fibers that reacted strongly with succinate dehydrogenase stain, but negative for cytochrome c oxidase activities. Electron microscopy revealed abnormal mitochondrial accumulation with rod shaped inclusions. The quantitative peroxidase chain reaction showed a depletion of mitochondrial DNA in skeletal muscle of the patients. Conclusions: Nucleoside analogues including telbivudine are potent inhibitors of viral DNA polymerases. However, they are not specific for viral DNA and can disturb mitochondrial replication at the same time. All nucleotide analogues should be used with close clinical observation in order to avoid development of mitochondrial myopathy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.132-140
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• 2001

The effects of various dietary docosahexaenoix acid(DHA) levels on the brain phospholipids and serum and liver lipid compositions were studied in rats using DHA concentrated oil and corn oil as a control for 4 weeks. Serum total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels tended to be the lowest by adding 20% DHA to corn oil. Serum triglyceride levels significantly decreased by adding 30% DHA. Liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels were apparently decreased in the groups added above 20% DHA, especially, the lowest at adding 30% DHA. Brain weight and phospholipid content were not different among groups. The ratios of arachidonic to linoleic acids in serum and liver phosphatidylcholine(PC) were significantly decreased by adding dietary DHA and showed a flat form above 20% of dietary DHA. DHA levels of serum PC were gradually increased according to dietary DHA level. The fatty acid compositions of the brain PC and phosphatidylethanolamine(PE) did not appear any changes with accordance of the dietary DHA levels. However, compared with those of serum and liver in general, linoleic and arachidonic acid levels were very low. Oleic acids were apparently higher than those in the other tissues. DHA were higher than those in the other tissues rigardless of the dietary DHA, especially in brain PE. The ratios of arachidonic to linoleic acid were not apparent tendency in brain PC and PE. However, the ratios of brain PE were above 2 times higher than those of brain PC. As the results, the hypolipidemic effects of dietary DNA were remarkable in liver. Especially in regard to tendency of liver lipid levels and desaturation indices in serum and liver PC, the effects indicated significantly higher by adding 20-30% DHA to diet(n-6/n-3 ratio, about 4-7). Thus, in this study, these dietary DHA levels seemed to be appropriate, at least in these lipid paramenters.(Korean J Nutrition 34(2) : 132∼140, 2001)

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.823-828
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• 2000

The complete nucleotide sequence of hepatitis B virus DNA isolated from Korean patient serum was determined and characterized, and its phylogenetic relation was then investigated. The viral genome was 3,215 base pairs long and included four well known open reading frames (i.e. surface antigens, core antigens, X protein and DNA polymerase). The sequence of the surface antigen showed that the HBV genome under investigation, designated HBV 315, was characteristic of subtype adr. A phylogenetic analysis using the total genome sequence revealed that HBV315 was grouped into genomic group C together with isolates from Japan, China, Thailand, Polynesia, and New Caledonia. The mean percent similarity between HBV315 and other HBV isolates in genomic group C was 97.25%, and that with other genomic groups ranged from 86.16% to 91.25%. The predicted amino acid sequences of HBV315 were compared with two closely related subtype adr isolates, M38636 and D12980. The results showed that the X gene product was identical in the three strains, while there were significant amino acid sequence differences between HBV315 and M38636 in the Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 regions.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.191-196
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• 1996

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful technique to detect scanty amount of DNA from living organisms. The present study intended to develope specific primers for PCR diagnosis of pneumocystosis and to evaluate diagnostic efficacy by preparation of template DNAs from invasive BAk fluid and also to screen serum or blood as a non-invasive specimen. Albino rats of Wistar or Fischer strains were experimentally infected by Pneumocwstis ccrinii. Extracted DNAs or cell Iysates of their blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and lung homogenate were used as the tenlplate DNA. Primers were synthetic oligonucleotides among 16s rDNA sequences. All of the primer combinations gave PCR products, but the primer pair of #24 and #27 gave best quality product of 666 bp. The sensitivity of PCR with Iysates of BAk fluid was 57.7% but it increased to 84.6% with extracted DNAs. None of BAL Iysate or DNA was positive among 13 microscopically negatives. The serum DNAs were positive only in 2 cases out of 20 morphologically positive rats. DNAs of human, rat, other parasites, yeast, and microorganisms were negative. The findings suggest that the present primers are specific but simple Iysate of BAL fluid is not sensitive. PCR may be used as a routine diagnostic method of pneumocystosis if simple and rapid preparation of non-invasive clinical specimens are available.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2014

The study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of feeding with phytase transgenic corn (PTC) on organ weight, serum biochemical parameters and nutrient digestibility, and to determine the fate of the transgenic DNA in laying hens. A total of 144 50-week-old laying hens were grouped randomly into 2 treatments, with 8 replicates per treatment and 9 hens per replicate. Each treatment group of hens was fed with diets containing 62.4% non-transgenic conventional corn (CC) or PTC for 16 weeks. The phytase activity for CC was 37 FTU/kg of DM, whereas the phytase activity for PTC was 8,980 FTU/kg of DM. We observed that feeding PTC to laying hens had no adverse effect on organ weight or serum biochemical parameters (p>0.05). A fragment of a poultry-specific ovalbumin gene (ov) was amplified from all tissues of hens showing that the DNA preparations were amenable to PCR amplification. Neither the corn-specific invertase gene (ivr) nor the transgenic phyA2 gene was detected in the breast muscle, leg muscle, ovary, oviduct and eggs. The digestibility data revealed no significant differences between the hens that received the CC- and PTC-based diets in the digestibility of DM, energy, nitrogen and calcium (p>0.05). Phosphorus digestibility of hens fed the PTC-based diet was greater than that of hens fed the CC-based diet (58.03% vs 47.42%, p<0.01). Based on these results, it was concluded that the PTC had no deleterious effects on the organ weight or serum biochemical parameters of the laying hens. No recombinant phyA2 gene was detected in muscle tissues and reproductive organs of laying hens. The novel plant phytase was efficacious in improving the phosphorus digestibility of laying hens.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2185-2193
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• 2016

Background: The pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) is influenced by the patient genetic background and environmental factors. Based on prior understanding, these are classified in two major pathways of genetic instability. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and CPG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) are categorized as features of the hypermethylated prototype, and chromosomal instability (CIN) is known to be indicative of the non-hypermethylated category. Secreted frizzled related protein 2 (SFRP2), APC1A in WNT signaling pathway and the DNA repair gene, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), are frequently hypermethylated in colorectal cancer. Detection of methylated DNA as a biomarker by easy and inexpensive methods might improve the quality of life of patients with CRC via early detection of cancer or a precancerous condition. Aim: To evaluate the rate of SFRP2 and MGMT hypermethylation in both polyp tissue and serum of patients in south Iran as compared with matched control normal population corresponding samples. Materials and Methods: Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect hypermethylation in DNA extracted from 48 polypoid tissue samples and 25 healthy individuals. Results: Of total polyp samples, 89.5% had at least one promoter gene hypermethylation. The most frequent methylated locus was SFRP2 followed by MGMT-B (81.2 and 66.6 percent respectively). Serologic detection of hypermethylation was 95% sensitive as compared with polyp tissue. No hypermethylation was detected in normal tissue and serum and its detection in patients with polyps, especially of serrated type, was specific. Conclusions: Serologic investigation for detection of MGMT-B, SFRP2 hypermethylation could facilitate prioritization of high risk patients for colonoscopic polyp detection and excision.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.580-593
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• 1992

Cholesterol have many essential functions as a component of cellular and subcellular membranes, metabolic precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones, and obligatory part of the metabolic systems involved in DNA synthesis and cell division. These essential funtions demand a continuous and appropriate supply of cholesterol to the tissues. Body cholesterol pool is maintained by the balance of acquirement from diets, de novo synthesis, and excretion either as bile acids or neutral steroids. In these metabolic process, cholesterol biosynthesis is controlled by the change in the activity of 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. Under most physiological or nutritional situations, the activity of this enzyme is adroitly regulated to maintain tissue cholesterol balance. Excess cholesterol accumulation in the cells induces the decrease in the number of LDL-receptor, followed by the increase in the level of serum LDL-cholesterol. Increase in the level of serum cholesterol appears to be an important determinant for the incidence of the coronary heart disease. Dietary intervention may be helpful in alleviating an increase in the level of serum cholesterol or body cholesterol pool.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.243-252
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigated the short-term effects of early weaning and protein intake on organ and cell growth, nitrogen metabolism and physiological functions of rats. Five groups of early weaned rats separated from the dam on the 15th day postpartum were each given one five diets consisting of either one of the three levels of casein-low(8%), -normal (16%), and -high(32%), or a normal level (16%) of isolated soy protein(ISP) or egg yolk protein, for 7 days. The normal weaned rats were fed maternal breast milk for three weeks from birth. On the 22nd day postpartum , all the rats were sacrificed . The weight gain of the early weaned rats, especially the ones fed high protein, was observed to be significantly lower than that of the normal weaned rats. By the 15th day, of early weaning and especially in the ISP-fed rats, the total DNA contents of liver and kidney, which may be said to represent an index of cell numbers, significantly decreased, but their fresh and dry weight and protein/DNA ratio, allegedly representing an index of cell size, significantly increased , not affecting the cell number and cell size of brain. There were no differences in total serum protein and albumin concentrations between early and normal weaned rats. In the early weaned rats observed , the serum urea N and $\alpha$-amino N concentrations significantly increased in high protein-fed rats, and decreased in low protein-fed rats. Another observation was that no significant difference was noticed as regards to serum GOT activity, total bilirubin, uric acid, and creatinine concentration, which may represent indices of liver and kidney functions, among rat groups, GPT activity was an exception . These results suggest that premature weaning and the quality and quantity of dietary protein significantly affect organ and cell growth and nitrogen metabolism but does not seriously affect physiological functions in the neonatal development of rats.